ALERTNESS
Description: This is your basic knack for noticing things that go on around you, even when you’re not actively looking for them, and is usually paired with Perception. This Ability helps characters with keen instincts and sharp thinking to size up situations and respond accordingly.
Allowed Specialties: Scan, Search
Rules: The sum total of your Perception + Alertness ratings is usually used to set the base difficulty for someone who is trying to sneak by, ambush or steal something from you, with only one success required for them to succeed. If you have a reason to be particularly cautious (such as standing guard or in a dangerous situation), then Perception + Alertness is typically rolled as part of a contested action, with your successes subtracting from your opponent’s. In such a situation, the storyteller will set the relative difficulties, based on circumstantial factors – it is harder to spot someone at night or in a crowded subway terminal.
There are many supernatural powers (such as a Vampire’s Auspex or Werewolf’s predatory senses) that greatly modify the difficulty of Alertness rolls.
- If you possess the Scan specialty, then you can roll Alertness actively to gain additional information. The truly perceptive might catch tell-tale hints that betray illusions or reveal hidden things. (Note: All Shifters can automatically do this with Primal-Urge.)
Obvious cue or clue: Difficulty 5
Subtle cue or clue: Difficulty 7
Extremely subtle cue or clue: Difficulty 9
- If you possess the Search specialty, then you can also roll Alertness actively, including for tracking and hunting purposes. However, when tracking someone, you cannot roll more Alertness dice than your Streetwise or Survival rating, depending on whether you’re in an urban or rural environment.
Poorly hidden prey, enemy, trail, or item: Difficulty 5
Well-concealed prey, enemy, trail or item: Difficulty 7
Magically concealed prey, enemy, trail or item: Difficulty 9
Story Example #1: “You’re distracted by conversation with a friend at a night club, while a creep tries to slip something into your momentarily unattended drink. They must roll vs a base difficulty determined by your Perception + Alertness ratings and score at least one success to do so without you noticing.”
Story Example #2: “You chased a suspect down a dark alley, where you suspect they’re laying in wait for you. Roll your Perception + Alertness vs their Wits + Stealth in a contested action, to see if you can suss out their likely hiding place to avoid getting bricked in the head.”
Story Example #3: “A Society of Leopold hunter with the Search specialty attempts to pursue a fleeing, Obfuscated vampire through the rain – requiring a Perception + Alertness roll vs a difficulty of 9 to notice the telltale puddle splashes.”